Recent article reveals horrifying reality for 2024 NFL season

NFL officiating could go from bad to worse in 2024.

On Friday, The Athletic’s Kalyn Kahler wrote about the league’s terrifying reality regarding its referees this season.

“An abnormally high number of inexperienced officials will take the field,” wrote Kahler. “27 will have three years or less, and a third of the 120 officials have five years or less. Most officials agree that it takes about five years to become proficient at the NFL level.”

Kahler spoke with multiple former referees, with one discussing how much the quality has dipped in recent years. 

“It used to be that every crew had at least four or five experienced officials,” one former referee said.

Another added, “Now you can’t find a crew that has four strong officials.”

Kahler cautions there might not be an easy fix to the problem, either, with the issue trickling all the way down to the high school level.

Kahler spoke with Bill Topp, the president of the National Association of Sports Officials, who told her, “The reality is we are taking more assignment chances than we ever have. We’re putting people on games that we believe aren’t quite ready, but the numbers are forcing it.”

Last year, several NFL games were marred because of poor officiating.

On “Sunday Night Football” in Week 13, the Packers won against the Chiefs controversially after referees missed a blatant pass interference call.